Annabelle xx Blaise
by HarryPotterHeadcanons
Summary: Annabelle has a Duelling test. Each person must come up in a pair. But what happens when her worst nightmare has to duel her? And what happens when she falls for him?


Annabelle Penhaglion

If you were one for fairy-tale beginnings, I suppose I could say that it all started on a sunny day at Hogwarts, where the sun was shining and the birds were singing.

The truth is, it's a bit different. We're in Hogwarts alright, and it's a sunny day for sure, but there is no time for birds singing and talking about the weather. I am on my way to the Slytherin Duelling class, which all Slytherins have to do as an extra-curricular class. My hands are shaking, and I fiddle with my green Slytherin tie, as I walk the corridors to the Great Hall.

Why am I so nervous, you ask? It's because all the fifth years have to show Professor Snape that we have the skills to keep going in the Duelling Class. If we don't pass, we will get thrown out of the class, and that would DESTROY me.

Okay, first things first. My name is Annabelle Penhaglion, I am in Fifth Year at Hogwarts. I'm a Slytherin, which is pretty wicked because we have an awesome common room. I only have a couple friends that I open up to, but I go absolutely crazy with them! My favourite subjects are History of Magic, and of course Duelling.

Duelling is, and always has been my favourite subject. Ever since First Year I've had a passion for duelling. There was something about fighting with magical sticks that I found really interesting to begin with. Don't ask me why, but it just satisfies all of my anger that I bottle up inside myself. My wand, of course, is a true Slytherin wand. Oak and dragon heartstring; 11 inches. If a wand really does choose a witch, then I'm certainly proud of who I am.

Once I arrive, I stand in line with my classmates outside the Hall, and wait for Professor Snape to get there. I can hear the students around me talking about how they're going to fail on this examination. I try to not listen, and focus on myself, and strategies to keep calm.

When Professor Snape comes and leads us into the Hall, we gather around the duelling platform. Snape says to us in his low, echoing voice, "Now, I will call out two names, and the two people will come up and duel with each other. I will look at both of the students' qualities and assess them separately. I will then tell the students if they passed or failed….. Is that understood?"

My stomach does a flip. It hadn't even crossed my mind that I would have to duel on of my classmates. I have trouble socialising with most of the people in the Slytherin common room, but the thought of looking into their eyes and fighting them one-on-one is mind wrenching.

The first couple to duel together is my best friend Millicent Bullstrode and our worst enemy Pansy Parkinson. I knew that it was obvious that Pansy would win; she was too good. I couldn't look. I didn't want to see my delicate Millicent get hurt. When I turn away, I see a red flash from behind me, and Millicent is on the floor. That's the end of that.

I wait in anticipation for my name to be called. My hands sweat and I hear the blurs of students passing and failing. My head goes foggy and I get dizzy, but just in time to snap me out of it, I hear a noise that makes my heart sink:

"Miss Penhaglion. Please step up to the platform with… Mr Zabini"

~Oh great~ I think to myself ~Not this guy.~ I had met Blaise a few times before, and he wasn't the most pleasant flower in the bunch. Long story short: he ganged up on me with his friends in First Year History of Magic, then pushed me over, leaving me to pick up all of my books.

Yes, he's evil alright. And smart and witty; he got an O on his OWLS and is a Slytherin Prefect. Not to mention his eyes. Cold, yet somewhat soothing. Black and embracing at the same time.

~Stop it!~ I order myself ~You need to focus on this, Annabelle~

"Ready for this?" he says in his deep voice, with a competitive wink. It melted my heart like chocolate, but I couldn't let it show.

"Way ahead of you, Blaise," I reply, trying to sound tough, but probably failing.

On the platform, we step towards each other and raise our wands. Oh saintly Slytherin, the eyes again! So irresistible, but so excluding. I'm standing here in front of him, unknowingly blushing, while he doesn't do so much as bat an eyelid. How can a guy be so smooth?

I swiftly turn and flick my hair over my shoulder. We each walk to our positions and wait for Snape to call the signal. From what I assume from his pose, he is going to do some sort of disarming spell, so he can make me defenceless, then beat me like he did in first year.

Professor Snape made blue sparks erupt from his wand, and then we were on our way. As I suspected, Blaise went for the Expelliarmus hex, a typical choice for a teenage boy in Slytherin. Easily reflected by a swift flick of the wrist and an Immobulus charm. He isn't fazed by this, because he dodges it, sending a nearby drawer flying across the room. He swiftly inflicts a Flipendo jinx on me, and unfortunately, it works.

I am sent flying across the Hall and landed off the platform with a loud thump. The whole house is silent in awe for Blaise's ability to get me off my feet. In embarrassment, I turn and run as fast as I can out of that room before they all laugh at me.

I go to the Library, the only place where I can retreat to when I need to calm down. I meet Millicent there, and we gossip about all of the boys and rate them in order of attractiveness; while we study for our History of Magic Essay, which I'm super confident about.

Millicent, looking tense, whispers to me, "Don't look now, Annabelle, but your little friend is looking at you."

"You know what, sis," I say, "Although he beat me mercilessly, nearly broke my arm, and showed no remorse, he's actually pretty cute! Like, seriously, his eyes, Milly. Have you ever seen them up close?! He's so perfect."

"Alright, girl, let's not get ahead of ourselves. But he's so perfect for you. You should totally date him," Millicent replies.

I would have replied, but I am hit in the head with a flying book. "PEEVES! Why did you do that?"

The poltergeist shrugs with a smug look on his face. He taunts me by saying, "Oooooohhh the little girl is in love with the bad boy. Let's see how this goes." He floats over to Blaise and hits him on the head with a book.

Peeves mutters something inaudible to Blaise, and Blaise looks over at me. I shoot a dangerous look at Peeves, and he backs away.

Millicent whispers in my ear, "I'll leave you to it then. Oh, and make sure you get his number," leaving me alone with Blaise.

I shuffle towards him cautiously. Seeing as my arm is in searing pain from where I landed on it, I'm a bit nervous as to what his next move would be.

His eyes lock with mine, and I see those deep, brown, unsettling eyes again. "So the ghost says you fancy me?"

I feel myself going red in embarrassment, and suddenly I wish that I could just drop off the face of the earth. "Uhhhh….. Maybe? Wow do I really have to spell it out to you? Yes, I get it. A girl like me would never be able to be with a guy like you. I mean look at you! Tall, dark; you're practically a Death Eater in training! It sounds stupid, but I do want to be with you. It's okay if you want me to go away and never come back because I'm this weird."

For the first time, Blaise is actually showing emotion that isn't hatred or competitiveness. It's warmer than that.

~Could it be love?~ I think to myself ~Please be love! Oh my goodness, what if he can sense that I'm fangirling about him? Keep it cool, sister.~

Blaise replies, "What? No, why would I want you to leave!? You're pretty much the perfect girl to me! Let me guess, you think I would go out with girls like Pansy? Hahahaha over my dead body! That cow has been trying to hook up with me since Third Year. Seriously, it KILLED me when I heard my name called out to fight you. I felt so bad afterwards, that I came here to the library. I knew you had to be here, and I needed to apologise."

~Yep, definitely love~ I think.

"So," Blaise continues, "Here is my apology, m'lady." He takes my hand and twirls me around, like they do in the movies. Then, he grabs my waist and pulls me towards him, pressing his lips to mine. You know how they say in old books and movies that you feel a spark when you kiss someone, and that's how you know that they're the one? Well, this was more of a fire starting in my heart.

He pulls away and gives me a mischievous look and a wink. "You know what? Today was pretty good, actually," he says, still holding me tight and looking into my eyes, "I beat a girl at her all-round favourite subject! Then I kiss her. And now she's mine."

"You idiot," I say teasingly, "I would have hexed you if you hadn't blasted me across the room."

"Right, I'm sure about that,"

"A horrible, horrible hex," I assure him, a smile coming to my lips.

"Tell you what," Blaise smirks, "How about something better than a hex?"

"I think I can manage that," I say mischievously.

Blaise gives me another, longer kiss, then picks me up bridal-style.

"Oh, how romantic!" I say in an exaggerated girly voice.

"Come on, Snake," he says like a knight in shining armour, "We'll finish this in the Common Room."


End file.
